Old Tow Language
Tow is a language spoken in Southeastern Exhpazixh, in the area near Putvå Iāltuxhe. It is spoken by the Tow, who are a minority group whose origins are separate from those of the Rumzquze people with whom they have had close contact for many years. Overview Tow is largely isolating and tonal, with up to six contour distinctions depending on dialect. Phonology Consonants */kʷ ŋgʷ/ are rare and generally found only in loan words. Vowels /i e ɛ a ə ɔ o u/ < i e eh a uh oh o u> Syllabic Consonants /m̩ ʑ̩/ Tones *Low-flat (11) flat bar below (m̱m) *Mid-high-flat (44) flat bar above (m̄m) *Mid-falling (31) grave accent below (m̖m) *High-falling (51) grave accent above (m̀m) *Low-rising (14) acute accent above (ḿm) *Mid-contour (254) circumflex above (m̂m) *Rising (previous, previous+1) none (mm) Phonotactics ©V(F,A,N)(P) *final plosives can only be present if a (F,A,N) consonant precedes it. *final plosives cannot be palatals, and no prenasalized stops *long vowels are present only in final syllables or in final syllables of compounds *stress is final *words containing syllablic consonants do not have codas *Vowels are lowered before palatalized, palatal, and alveopalatal consonants. Semantics Nouns Pronouns Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns Patient Pronouns Noun Classes : : : : Verbs Verbs are not inflected. Clitics/Particles/Affixes are used to denote various verbal usages. The default is progressive aspect. : : : : Intransitive Intransitive sentences have the formation S-(TEMP)-V *āx às wòhl *1sg.SBJ TEMP eat *I am eating. Transitive Transitive sentences have structure O-S-(TEMP)-V *cōììm̀m āx às wòhl *person DIM DIM PLU 1sg.SBJ TEMP eat *I am eating babies. Ditransitive Ditransitive sentences have structure O-S-(TEMP)-V-Patient *cōììm̀m cītm̱m nústasan cìlāx *person DIM DIM PLU Satan have PROG PERF 1sg.PAT *Satan gave me babies to eat. Particles Evidentials Mundane Evidentials *ca̱ - “I know that it is true based on my own past knowledge” *u̱hf - “I know it is true because someone told me.” *nwo̖h - “I know it is true because it is happening now.” *nwa̱ - “I think it may be true because I remember something related to it.” *té - “I have no evidence to back it up, but I’ll say it anyway.” *nyèh - “It may or may not be true, but you have to figure that out yourself.” Spiritual Evidentials *ās sā “It is true because a whisper brought it to me.” Samples āx às wòhl cōìm̀m 1sg.SBJ TEMP eat person DIM PLU I am eating children. cōìm̀m às wòhl cānāx person DIM PLU TEMP eat 1sg.ACC Children are eating me. āx núst tōhw e̱xt ca̱ 1sg.SBJ have speak ability EVID I can speak. āx núst wòhl cōìm̀m e̱xt ca̱ 1sg.SBJ have eat person DIM PLU ability EVID I can eat children. cōììm̀m āx às wòhl person DIM DIM PLU 1sg.SBJ TEMP eat I am eating babies. cìlóhwk cōììm̀m às wòhl 2sg.PATIENT person DIM DIM PLU TEMP eat Babies are eating you. cītm̱m cōììm̀m às wòhl Satan person DIM DIM PLU TEMP eat Babies are eating Satan. Category:Languages